Jillian M. Brickley (NH '10)

Teacher

At the time of the Award, Jillian M. Brickley was:

Biographical Information

Creative coursework paired with data-driven instruction have created a formula for success in Jillian Brickley’s fifth-grade classroom at Charlotte Avenue School in Nashua, NH. Brickley’s students outperform other fifth-grade classes throughout the state, averaging four to five percentage points higher in both math and writing proficiency. On 2009 state assessments, her students scored 77 percent proficient or advanced in math and 81 percent proficient or advanced in English language arts, well above state averages. As both the Data and Technology Coordinator for the school and Teacher Liaison for student council Brickley works closely with student body and faculty with ease. As strong proponent of TERC, independent research-based organization specializing in math and science instruction practices, she has introduced its processes for data analysis to the school staff and implemented the system school wide. Now in a new school district, Jillian is taking her Science curriculum writing practices to Dover where she will assist colleagues in aligning their lessons to the Next Generation standards.

Through an effective combination of project-based learning and analyzing student assessments, Brickley’s stimulating curricula is providing students with the knowledge and skills they need to ask questions, solve problems and increase academic achievement. She creates units of study where multiple subjects can be taught through a common theme, such as her Earth Day unit. Students are assigned professions, such as an architect, policy maker or engineer and asked to discuss and research how the profession will impact the environment from a scientific and social perspective. Brickley also takes on various roles in her classroom, dressing up and role playing important historical and literary figures to whom students pose questions. As dedicated as she is inventive in the classroom, she also tutors students diligently before and after school during the year and even during summer vacations.